Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 28, 2011 | MI | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 50) |
| April 28, 2011 | NC | HB 546 | Alternative Teacher Salary Plans | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| April 25, 2011 | OR | HB 2732 | High School Diploma Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| April 20, 2011 | OR | HB 3555 | Qualifications for Superintendents of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| April 13, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 40) |
| April 13, 2011 | OR | SB 5552 | Department of Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| April 12, 2011 | AL | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (64 - 36) |
| April 7, 2011 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
| April 3, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| April 1, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| March 30, 2011 | National | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| March 30, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| March 25, 2011 | AR | HB 1032 | Curriculum Standards for Bible Instruction in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (71 - 16) |
| March 24, 2011 | TN | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| March 22, 2011 | IA | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| March 17, 2011 | AR | HB 1936 | Dress Codes for Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| March 16, 2011 | FL | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| March 14, 2011 | OR | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| March 9, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| March 9, 2011 | UT | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| March 8, 2011 | NM | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - House (36 - 31) |
| March 7, 2011 | AZ | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| March 4, 2011 | ID | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| March 3, 2011 | NV | AB 183 | Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| March 3, 2011 | MN | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50) |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | HB 301 | School District Property Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | SC | H 3241 | Funding for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (85 - 32) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | MT | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1412 | Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | IA | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | WY | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Failed - House (20 - 35) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | UT | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | OH | HB 30 | Reduce Required School Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | IN | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | VA | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | SB 1381 | Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | SB 1413 | Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Aug. 10, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| April 29, 2010 | AZ | HB 2281 | Ethnic Studies Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| April 21, 2010 | AL | HB 105 | Required Physical Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| March 21, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/28 | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 50) |
| 4/28 | HB 546 | Alternative Teacher Salary Plans | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| 4/27 | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 4/27 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 4/25 | HB 2732 | High School Diploma Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| 4/20 | HB 3555 | Qualifications for Superintendents of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 4/13 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 40) |
| 4/13 | SB 5552 | Department of Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| 4/12 | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (64 - 36) |
| 4/07 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
| 4/03 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| 4/01 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| 3/30 | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 3/30 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 3/25 | HB 1032 | Curriculum Standards for Bible Instruction in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (71 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| 3/22 | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 3/17 | HB 1936 | Dress Codes for Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| 3/16 | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| 3/14 | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| 3/09 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/09 | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 3/08 | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - House (36 - 31) |
| 3/07 | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 3/04 | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 3/03 | AB 183 | Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| 3/03 | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50) |
| 3/03 | HB 301 | School District Property Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| 3/02 | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| 2/23 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 2/23 | H 3241 | Funding for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (85 - 32) |
| 2/22 | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 2/18 | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| 2/18 | HB 1412 | Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| 2/17 | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| 2/16 | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Failed - House (20 - 35) |
| 2/16 | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| 2/16 | HB 30 | Reduce Required School Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
| 2/08 | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| 2/01 | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| 2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| 8/31 | SB 1381 | Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 8/26 | SB 1413 | Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 8/10 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| 4/29 | HB 2281 | Ethnic Studies Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 4/21 | HB 105 | Required Physical Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| 3/21 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |